Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says corruption would have reduced in Africa if western countries do not help in keeping looted funds. He said this at the African non-governmental organisation (NGO) forum held in Banjul, Gambia.The lawyer accused the western media and Transparency International (TI) of failing to join the campaign for the repatriation of the looted wealth of Africa."If the western countries [...]

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda has asked the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to probe the finances of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) since 1999. Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA chairman, said the group is seriously concerned about the remittance of N7.8 billion by Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB registrar, into the coffers of the government.It said the remittance was made [...]

The Centre for Memories, a non-governmental repository centre for the history and culture of Ndigbo, officially launched its inaugural exhibition on December 28.The exhibition designed by Uzoma Okoye, managing director, Etu Odi communications and curated by Ifeanyi Onwuegbucha, held at Umoji street, Independence Layout, Enugu state.The exhibition titled, ‘Ola Ndi Igbo: Igbo Contributions to Nigeria and the World until 1970’, [...]

Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the ooni of Ife, has partnered with Empower 54, a non-profit organisation, to curb malnutrition in Africa.Empower 54 is a US organisation which provides humanitarian assistance through health, education, empowerment, and internally displaced persons (IDP)/refugee programmes to underprivileged Africans.Modupe Ozolua, founder of Empower 54, said the declaration on “one-third, 33% of Nigerian children under 5 years old suffer [...]

In 2019, young Nigerians who were born at the turn of the millenium (2000, 2001) will actually be able to vote. Those of us born within the 80s and 90s may be able to run for offices. It may yet be our time to stop being kingmakers and rise up to become kings, ourselves.For the better part of my adult [...]

Patience, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, says she has spent N3.5 billion treating children with heart-related diseases.Jonathan said she has treated over 700 children through her foundation -- Aruera Reachout Foundation.She said this while reacting to allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that she used the foundation to launder stolen funds during her husband's tenure as [...]

On July 14, 2016, the house of representatives passed for second reading a bill seeking to establish a commission that would regulate non-governmental organisations (NGOs).Umar Buba Jibril, deputy majority leader and sponsor of the bill, said the bill sought to supervise, monitor and coordinate the activities of civil society organisations (CSOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs).But recently, those who saw the [...]

The whistle-blowing policy has set everywhere abuzz as many Nigerians have turned it into a lucrative vocation. Indeed, some Nigerians have already earned huge sums of money with 20 people recently sharing N375.8m. Announcing this last Wednesday, June 7, 2017, the minister for finance, Kemi Adeosun, confirmed the money has been released. She also said that the money was for [...]

Ahead of the World Tuberculosis Day on March 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released five new ethical standards to protect the rights of Tuberculosis patients.The guidelines include providing patients with the social support they need to fulfil their responsibilities, refrain from isolating TB patients before exhausting all options to enable treatment, adherence and only under very specific conditions, enabling “key populations” to [...]

The Children’s Government of Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, has called on the federal and state governments to close internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the north-east.Patrick Ikpeme, its national coordinator, made the call in Minna, during a courtesy visit to the Niger State Development Company.According to NAN, Ikpeme said the camps should be closed down “immediately”, claiming they had a [...]

BY YINKA OLAITO
While we do not like to sound pessimistic, the context and narratives of education, especially in the public basic level, seems to be on a downward trend. In the past two to four decades, an average Public basic school leaver can do a lot more than what we have now, albeit academically.Even though the learning opportunities and access [...]